Thane builder's suicide: Cops record ex-civic chief's statement

Ex-municipal commissioner (Thane) Nandkumar Jantre had cleared a few of Parmar’s projects during his tenure

Officials from Thane Police’s Special Squad yesterday recorded the statement of former IAS officer and ex-municipal commissioner (Thane) Nandkumar Jantre in connection with the Suraj Parmar suicide case. Joint Commissioner of Police (Thane) V V Laxminarayana confirmed the development.

Jantre’s statement was recorded after the police learnt that his brother Suresh, Parmar and three others were partners in Concorde developers. The probe also revealed that the firm had then received Floor Space Index (FSI) of 2.5 for Cosmos Horizon, against the ongoing trend of FSI 1 in Thane.

Jantre, the then civic chief, had passed the proposal following MHADA’s announcement of giving additional FSI to the builders who build 30% houses for the poor in the project. But MHADA reconsidered its decision and revoked the additional FSI allotted to the builders.

Facing financial losses, builders across Thane moved the Bombay High Court and secured relief. The relief was short-lived, as Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) approached the Supreme Court, which stayed the HC’s decision of allowing the builders to use FSI of 2.5.

Later, corporator Vikrant Chavan, whose name Parmar had mentioned in his multi-paged suicide note, obtained documents of the violations by the Concorde group and appealed to the TMC to stop the project. Chavan is accused of extorting money from Parmar.

Cop speak“As Jantre knows the details of Parmar’s project, his statement was recorded. He had granted permissions to Parmar’s projects. We are gathering evidence against the four corporators who found violations in Parmar’s project and used it to extort money.

Their names have been mentioned in the suicide note,” said one of the investigating officers. TMC sources claimed there is a possibility that the police might question two former municipal commissioners too.